


Principal's Office

by WrenSupertramp



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Minor Violence, Mortal AU, Work In Progress, school au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2020-09-24 05:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20353150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrenSupertramp/pseuds/WrenSupertramp
Summary: "Will Solace to the principal's office." I jumped in my seat. Never once had I been in trouble. I'm a straight A student, president of the AV club, with a perfect attendance record throughout all of public schooling. I stood up, beads of sweat formed on my hairline. Suddenly everyone's eyes seemed to be focused on me. I made eye contact with my teacher, to make sure she acknowledged I was leaving, and she nodded her head in disapproval. My life was completely over.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's another bad fanfic.  
Based off of a tumblr post I saw a hot minute ago.  
I might leave it as a one shot unless yall want me to continue it.   
Xoxo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello. How are yall? I've been good. I've also have forgotten about this story in a while. But I remember now. I have edited and reformatted the two chapters that were already out. And I have finished the third chapter and have started the fourth. So this story is still alive and well.  
I love you.

"Will Solace to the principal's office." I jumped in my seat. Never once had I been in trouble. I'm a straight-A student, president of the AV club, with a perfect attendance record throughout all of public schooling. I stood up, beads of sweat formed on my hairline. Suddenly everyone's eyes seemed to be focused on me. I made eye contact with my teacher, to make sure she acknowledged I was leaving, and she nodded her head in disapproval. My life was completely over. Obviously I was either framed for something or in a perfectionist rage, I had snapped, blacked out and committed some crime horrible enough to be sent to the office. If I got detention, I could kiss my full ride to Stanford goodbye. Hell, I could kiss college goodbye. I'd be stuck in this small town forever. Flipping burgers for my more successful classmates. I'd never become a doctor, find love, get married, buy a house, adopt some kids. I'm going to be living a home forever. What would my dad think of me? Would he visit even less if I got expelled for some terrible thing I did that I don't even remember? Time slowed as I walked to the classroom door. As my hand turned the doorknob, the speaker croaked to life once more.  
  
"Will Solace. Don't worry, its about AV club. We all know how dramatic you can be" Secretary Hillship chuckled. I burst through the classroom door with my usual pizazz (I would say swagger but Lou-Ellen has banned me from uttering that word). I hoped into the main office waiting room and was greeted by Ms.Hillship's smiling face.

"Take a seat, Will, Mr.Brunner will be right with you. I heard its about tomorrow's assembly. Big shot puppet troupe is coming. So very excited." I sat down as Ms.Hillship rambled on about how she almost ran away with a puppeteer when she was younger, but her father didn't allow. Most would've found the story boring and annoying. But Will liked Ms.Hillship. And he liked to study her failed loves so he wouldn't make those mistakes himself. Not too long after she left to make some copies the office door slammed against the wall. To say the boy standing there was hot was the understatement of the millennium. His dark hair curled around his face, messily tucked under a black beanie. He wore a nirvana shirt, black skinny jeans, Doc Martens, and a leather jacket. Definitely not my type but worth staring at. He sat down on the plastic chair next to me and swung the other chair in front to kick his boots upon. After a long sigh. He turned to me and grinned.  
"So, golden boy, what are ya in for?" His voice was soft and rich, with a slight accent I couldn't place. His lips were so incredibly pink, the looked so soft and absolutely perfect...... for eating and breathing nothing weird. He stared at me and laughed under his breath. Fuck he asked me a question. My brain malfunctioned as I thought of the answer.

"I, uh, um, AV club, puppet show, they're probably gonna, uh, ask me to run the um lights." I barely made it out of the sentence alive, but I still dared to say another. "What about you?"

Short and simple easy sentence. No mumbles, no stumbles. Public speaking at its finest. The boy adjusted his hat and tucked a curl behind his ear. He bit his lip and smirked. I could tell he was stalling a little bit. But I didn't find. I could watch him stall for hours. With a quick clearing out of his throat, he spoke.  
"I stabbed myself in the thigh with a screwdriver in shop class." He didn't seem nervous and scarily he seemed a little proud. He poked his finger through the hole in jeans to prove a screwdriver had pierced through it, the black denim around the hole was saturated with blood, why they sent him to the principal’s office and not the nurse or a hospital, is beyond me. Just as I was about the form a coherent thought to respond, Ms.Hillship came back in and informed me that Mr.Brunner was ready for me.

The boy stared as I stood up. I turned to walk into the office when a cold boney hand grabbed mine.

"Talk to you later, golden boy." He winked and let go of my wrist. My brain short-circuited and blew a fuse. I somehow managed to get through my meeting with Mr.Brunner without making a complete fool of myself.

It took me until 3 am to conjure a coherent thought.

Why the fuck did he stab himself with a screwdriver?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will sets up for the puppet show. We meet Lou-Ellen and Cecil. Nico is still a mess but hey aren't we all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 has been edited, just grammar stuff really.

I woke up at 6 am sharp. Just like every day. Including weekends. I don't even need an alarm anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't set an alarm at all. Better safe than sorry. I pull on my usual attire, khakis (don't shame me) and my AV t-shirt. I don't wear my AV shirt all the time, but today I gotta represent.  
  
I walked downstairs and put on a pot of coffee. Coffee isn't really my cup of tea (ba dum) but last night I couldn't stop thinking about that screwdriver dude and how cute he was and how he had stabbed himself with a screwdriver and how curly his hair was and how calm he was even though he stabbed himself with a screwdriver. The screaming of the boiling water got me out of my thought loop. I poured coffee for me, my mamma, and one for school. The president of the AV club can't just fall asleep during a hotshot puppet troupe. My mamma walked into the kitchen, shuffling quietly in her slippers and bathrobe.  
  
Lou-Ellen swung by and picked me up at 7 am. Just like every morning. Excluding weekends. I gave my mamma a quick kiss on the cheek, grabbed my bag, and hopped into Lou-Lou’s jeep. The leather seats got scorching in the summer and there's like some many unidentifiable stains everywhere and there's no aux chord or cd player, but Lou-Ellen bought it with her own money and if you insult it, you will regret it. Cecil once mentioned the horrible gash in the door from when Lou-Ellen tried to drive through her dad's fence. She drove him to a Seven-Eleven outside of town and made him walk the 7 miles home. The door slammed shut and I placed my travel mug in the sticky cup holders.  
  
"Coffee? Since when did you drink anything that wasn't fruit punch?" Lou-Ellen snorted.  
  
"Shut up. I got three hours of sleep and I need to run lights for puppets all day."  
  
"Only three hours? Who's the boy?" Lou-Ellen's car slowed down in front of Cecil's house. He ran out, his backpack unzipped, his hair unbrushed, wearing only one shoe, the only in his hand.  
"Shut up. There's no boy." I shook my head.  
  
Cecil sat down in the back seat, "Oh there's a boy?"  
  
"There's no boy!" They might be my best friends but they really get on my nerves sometimes.  
  
"Will only got three out of his usual 8 and a half hours of sleep last night," Lou-Ellen said instead of paying attention to her driving.  
  
"Oh yeah. Then he's definitely crushing on someone." I turned around to curse him out.  
  
"I will crush you."  
  
Lou-Ellen pulled into her usual parking spot in the faculty lot. She gives weed to the night janitor and he lets her use his parking spot. It’s extremely not legal but I'm not gonna complain. The student lot is all the way on the other side of campus and I get enough walking done just pushing the equipment back and forth from the AV room to the auditorium. Every day is leg day.  
  
At school, I had to get right to work. Old people hate when I set up when they're in the room. And assuming the puppeteers are old, better have it done before they're here. And I'll do anything that gets me out of math class. And I mean anything.  
  
After the auditorium was ready, and the puppets started arriving. I sat in the control booth. Kicking my feet up on the monitor, waiting for the other AV club members to come so that Dave (I mean the AV club's teacher director Mr. Schwarm) would order us pizza like he does whenever the school makes us sit through some bullshit assembly.  
  
Lou-Ellen and Cecil crashed through the control booth door. They looked disappointed that everything was already set up, even though it gives them time to go and make out or whatever they do when they ditch me. Since Dave knows I do all the work and the other club members just sit there and bother me, there's only one chair in the control booth. Cecil sat on the ground and Lou-Ellen seductively sprawled across his lap. I know they are hiding the fact they're dating from me for some dumb reason (Lou-Ellen drunkenly told me she thinks it'll fuck up our friendship if I know they have feelings for each other), but they're doing a horrible job pretending to just be friends. Dave came in with the godsent pizza, just around the time the puppets started setting up their "sets" (cardboard box theater).  
  
"Well, I ate my fair share of pizza." Lou-Ellen dusted off her cargo pants as she stood. (yes everyone in AV club wears cargo shorts, it’s part of our swagger pizazz) "And the halls will be empty due to the assembly so I'm leaving to go commit vandalism. I'll be back to help break down everything. Smell ya later."  
  
Cecil stayed seated for a full calendar minute before jumping up and stuttering a "Yeah. I uh, gonna, also vandalism." Cecil shuffled out of the door. And alas, I was left alone with pizza boxes. Dave was outside, arguing with some lady with ridiculously long grey hair and a scary mean puppet that looks like it would murder me in my sleep. After a long and probably very boring conversation, Dave came into the control booth. He handed me a small cassette and shook his head.  
  
"All you gotta do is play this all the way through and leave the spotlight on their puppet theater. Hell, you could just turn everything on then leave and come back before it’s over if you wanted to. But you're not gonna because I'm gonna leave and someone has to be in here." He grabbed the empty pizza boxes and left me alone with the thoughts in my head and the fate of the puppet show in my hands.  
  
About halfway through the excruciatingly long puppet show, my three hours of sleep finally caught up with him. I was just about dozing off when suddenly.  
  
"Hey!" A small voice popped up from the corner of the control booth. I jumped in my seat, my legs hitting the control booth, turning on the colored disco lights. I scrambled to shut them off before the puppeteers freaked out. A giggle broke me out of my panic and I turned to see who had caused the problem. It was the screwdriver kid.  
  
"How did you get in here?" I whispered. I don't know why I was whispering.  
  
"Crawled through the vents." He was standing next to my chair so I finally got a full view of what he looks like. As hot as ever. And he was oh so incredibly short. Even shorter than Cecil. Probably just above 5 feet or so. I briefly thought about offering him my seat but he wouldn't know how to work the board, not that there’s much to do, but still, this is my seat. He didn't mind my poor manners and placed his small frame on the counter next to the controls. He pulled his knees up to his chest and plopped his chin on his knees. His long, delicate fingers with his adorable chipped nail polish grasped his legs, he looked angelic and childlike, and he was so so very attractive.  
  
"Hello." Something thumped me. "Earth to Golden Boy." If I hadn't just zoned out getting lost in his looks, I would've completely lost consciousness just hearing his voice. His was rich and smooth and there was a slight accent that I couldn't quite place. "What are you thinking about?" His head tilts, his curls cascading down. He bit his soft-looking pink lips and played with the hem of his shirt, nervous tick probably. I could not tell him what I was thinking about, lest I sound like a stalker. So I said the first thing that came to mind that wasn't about how beautiful he was.  
  
"Why the fuck did you stab yourself with a screwdriver?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! I have remembered that this story exists! Chapter 3 has finally actually existed. Thank you to everyone who read and commented on this story even though it didn't seem like it wouldn't ever be finished. And it's not finished but it will be. I pinky promise.

"Why the fuck did you stab yourself with a screwdriver?"  
  
And just like that, his cool demeanor slipped. It was only a second before he tilted his head and his smirk returned.  
  
He leaned in and whispered, "Are you sure you want to know?" I bit my lip and nodded too eagerly. I do not why I keep acting like a fool around him. I blame it on the caffeine.  
  
"I stabbed myself with a screwdriver because...." The door slammed open, fuck, it was Lou Ellen and, you guessed it, Cecil.  
  
"Oh, who's this, Will? I don't recognize him from the AV club." Lou-Ellen's voice was playful and mischievous.  
  
"Yeah Will. You suspended me from the meetings for a month when I brought my cousin here because he wasn't in the club." Cecil grinned.  
  
"That's because you broke in at 3 am and got drunk. You're lucky I didn't get you expelled." I groaned. Nico stood awkwardly behind the chair.  
  
"Still," Lou-Ellen said, "You know the rules, no one but AV club members allowed. But.... we won't tell Dave if you do our science homework."  
  
"You know what? I'm just gonna dip. See you later. Sunshine." And with that he exited, quite dramatically might I add, through the vents he came through. There was an awkward silence.  
  
And then Cecil said “How fucking small is he? I can't even fit through those vents.”  
  
“Cecil that is not important right now, Will, you cannot like Nico Di Angelo.” Lou Ellen fretted.  
  
“I don't like him. And even if I did, why can't I?”  
  
“He's absolutely crazy. I heard he set fire to the boy's bathroom last year.” Lou Ellen said.  
  
“I heard he eats rats.” Cecil pipes in.  
  
“Someone told me that he doesn't even bring books to school, his backpack is just full of knives and animal bones.”  
  
“This is ridiculous, guys. There's no way any of this is true.” They might be true but that doesn't mean he's not cute.  
  
“You guys heard he killed his sister?” Cecil said glumly. Once again an awkward silence washed over the control booth. Thankfully Dave burst into the room before the silence had gotten unbearable.  
  
“What the hell was that Will? Disco lights?” Dave looked aggravated, to say the least. But then he saw Lou-Ellen and Cecil and his face softened. “Oh, the trouble team is here, that makes sense.” He left out a sigh, “I thought Will messed up somehow and I couldn’t imagine Will fooling around. But, yeah, no, disco lights make way more sense now. Imma head out and calm down some puppets.” Dave left and I burst out laughing. Unfortunately, the “trouble team” didn’t seem to think it was that funny.  
  
“Will, come on, you could’ve gotten us in trouble because you were slacking off for some psycho?” Lou-Ellen really gets on my nerves sometimes.  
“You guys know Dave would never actually punish you guys, I’m the bad cop around here. And I wasn’t slacking off, I was startled and I hit the disco button, why is that even a preset on the board, we’ve never had a need for disco lights.”  
  
“Yeah, me and Lou-Lou set those up once when we were bored, we were planning on pranking the principal during the anti-drug assembly, but we got too stoned to remember to come to the assembly,” Cecil said sheepishly. “But seriously though, that Di Angelo kid is bad news. You know Leo? Valdez? He’s in shop class with him and apparently he stabbed himself in the leg with a screwdriver yesterday. Leo said it was crazy. He just stabbed himself for no reason. They all got out of class early and Di Angelo got a month of detention.”  
  
“In my opinion, detention obviously isn’t helping him. He should get a month’s worth of psychiatric care.” Lou-Ellen droned on. I felt a small buzz from my phone. Two Instagram notifications “thegh0stking requested to follow you” and “one message request”  
  
I clicked the message request.  
  
Thegh0stking: Hey goldie. 🌞


	4. UPDATE

HELLO.   
Miss me? Sorry I forgot about this for a while. Oopsie daisy. But I'm back now. And instead of paying attention in class, I reread and rewrote the chapters I have written. And so imma repost em. Sounds like a plan? I love you guys.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico's POV now! Sorry for the late update. Quarantine be crazy. But I'm done with school for the year so I should be able to update more often.

Nico’s POV  
  
I stared at the message in front of me.  
  
Hey goldie. 🌞 seen 5 minutes ago.  
  
He left me on read. What a fucking jerk. Who accepts an Instagram message request and then leaves the person on read. That's absolutely crazy. Ugh. I quickly shoved my phone into my jeans pocket and pulled my keys from the other pocket. Or at least that’s what I wanted to do. I can’t fucking exist properly. I dug around my pockets and couldn’t find my keys. I whipped off my backpack and sat down on my front steps. Unzipping my backpack, I dug around for my keys that didn’t seem to be there. With a huff, I accepted my fate of being locked out and decided to wait until father got home, however late that would be. I picked at the splintering wood on the front steps.  
  
I always hated this house. Mama’s house was always nicer and even though it wasn’t perfect, it was home and it was loved. Father isn’t home enough to even care about how this house looks. I’m glad I have no friends to invite over. The front door paint has been peeling since I moved in all those years back. Me and Bee used to see how much paint we could peel off in one stroke but we never got all the paint off. I stood up and walked over to the door, I grabbed the edge of the paint and ripped it off, it flaked almost instantly, I never was good at that game. Ruff. Fuck. Cerberus. I stand on my tiptoes and peak through the door window. At the front entrance is my adorable mastiff dog. At least I think he’s a mastiff. I found him on the street and begged Mama to let me keep him. She never wanted a dog but she loved Cerberus. Bee wasn’t a big fan but I let her name him and that got her to at least tolerate him. Father is indifferent. Cerberus was alone all day and I can’t leave him locked inside until father comes home god knows when. Fuck. I gotta break into my own house.  
  
I surveyed the windows and they were all locked. Every single one of em. Except for my room, on the second floor. I would love to say I’m the kind of rebel who sneaks out through my window to party every night but I can literally just walk through the front door at any hour of the day, no one would stop me. The wood of my house is decaying and broken but it makes gripping the boards easier. I somehow shimmy my way up the wall and grab my window sill. I try to pull myself up but hey, I’m scrawny. There’s a small ledge to the left, I placed my foot on the ledge and push up and FUCK. I tumble through my window, my thigh throbbing. Fuck, that was my screwdriver leg, I’m such a fucking dumbass, what the fuck.  
  
I lay on my floor catching my breath when I heard my phone ding!  
  
Sunshineboi: Hey ghostie.  
Thegh0stking: What’s up?  
Sunshineboi: Oh nothing, running errands with my mom. Usually, Lou-Ellen drives me home from school but she had an art thing so I got stuck with my mom, lol. Wbu?  
Thegh0stking: Oh the usual. Just broke into my own house.  
Sunshineboi: Oh?  
Sunshineboi: Excuse me?  
Sunshineboi: You? What?  
Thegh0stking: Broke into my own house. It’s a long story.  
Sunshineboi: I’d love to hear it. Wanna facetime?  
Thegh0stking: I can’t facetime. Got a droid.  
Sunshineboi: That’s chill. Just give me your phone number and I’ll call you.  
Thegh0stking: I thought you were running errands with your mom. I’d hate to intrude.  
Sunshineboi: She’s in the grocery store right now, I chose to stay in the car because she can spend hours in there. Not hours hours but like a long time, lmao. Ya know how moms be.  
Thegh0stking: Yeah, here’s my number.  
  
I hit send and almost instantly my phone starts ringing. I get off the ground and start walking downstairs when I hit answer.  
  
“Hey, Nico.” His voice is so cute.  
  
“Hey, just FYI you’re on speaker.” I place my phone on the counter and grab Cerberus’s leash and he comes running towards me. “But there’s no one to hear you except my dog so you being on speaker isn't important.” Fuck, I am the worst at existing.  
  
“You have a dog!? What’s its name? What does it look like? Is it super cute like you?”  
  
“His name is Cerberus. I know nerdy, I didn’t name him. He’s big and soft and tan and he’s very cute unlike me. You wanna meet him?”  
  
“I’d love to, wanna hang out later this week?”  
  
“Well, I was thinking since I’m taking him on his walk right now, I could easily walk him over to the grocery store.”  
  
“How do you know which grocery store I’m at?”  
  
“Will, there’s one grocery store in this town, unless your mom drove you to Wholefoods 45 minutes away, I’m certain you're at Bill and Anne’s.”  
  
“We only drive to Wholefoods on the weekends, but yeah, I’m at Bill and Anne’s. I’d love to see you and Cerberus, but don’t walk all this way if it’s a hassle.”  
  
“I am certain it’s not a hassle, what color is your car?.”  
  
“Purple.” Purple? “Are you sure? I really don’t want you to put a strain on your leg, if it's a far walk, please don’t walk all this way.”  
  
“I already scaled my house with my screwdriver leg, I’m fine. And it’s not that far, I promise.”  
  
“Are you 100 percent sure?” I walk over to the only purple car in the parking lot and see a mess of golden blonde hair in the passenger seat. I knock on the window and Will jumps. I hang up on the phone.  
  
“I’m positive.”


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for forgetting this story existed. But here's another chapter!

Will’s POV “

I’m positive.” I jumped at the sound of his voice. Not that his voice is scary. It’s soft and perfect and I still can’t seem to place his accent but it makes me melt. Fuck. He’s staring. Uhhhh. Come on will. Think quick. I threw the door open and stepped out of the car to greet him.

“Oh hey, that was fast.” I wiped my hands on my jeans.

“Yeah, I live like a block away from here.” Nico rocked on the back of his heels, his hands hidden in his sweatshirt pockets, the dog leash poking out trailing down to the most massive dog I’ve ever seen. The dog seemed to not notice me but when he did, boy did he notice me. One minute I was awkwardly staring at Nico and his adorable face and then next minute I was knocked to the pavement with a giant dog licking my face.

“Cerberus. Cerby. Cerberus. Bad dog. Get off Will. You could hurt him. Cerby.” Nico’s voice dripped with worry.

“It’s chill. If this is how I die, I’m perfectly fine with it.” I said in between dog licks.

“I’d rather you wouldn’t die,” Nico said. Cerberus finally calmed down a bit so I could sit up, but I kept giving a lot of attention to the dog.

“Why, you like me or something?” I joked. Or maybe I wasn’t joking.

“No.” Nico got defensive. “If you die, I could get arrested for murder and I don’t want to go back to juvie.”

I stopped petting the dog. Back to juvie?

“Wait back to juvie?” I asked. Nico looked at the ground and kicked at the stray rocks on the pavement. There was a long pause of silence.

“Uh, sorry, that was a bad question. I don’t wanna pry.” I sputtered.

Nico sat down on the pavement. “Um, no, it’s okay. I mean like it’s not like I did anything bad. I mean yeah I got arrested but it could’ve been worse. And I was only in juvie for a month. I mean, yeah, it was a month in juvie, and three months in group home. It’s no big deal. Can we just drop it?” Nico tugged at his curly hair.

“Yeah, we can drop it. So…” I trailed off when my mamma came pushing a cart full of groceries. Nico quickly stood up.

“Nico this is my mom Naomi, mamma this is my friend Nico.”

“Oh I know Nico, he volunteers at the children’s center all the time. Teaches the kids Italian.” My mamma said. At least now I know where the accent is. “Nico, sweetie, I didn’t know you were friends with my little Will?”

“I didn’t know this was your Will, Miss Naomi.” Nico’s whole demeanor changed, his voice got sweeter, his face softened, he relaxed.

“I’ve been meaning to introduce yall for ages. And you guys just became friends without me knowing, so strange! I love it! Oh, Nico, Miss Laura told me to ask you if you could start volunteering on Sundays too. One of our boys got transferred and we have an empty slot.”

“Sure. But a third Italian class might be a lot, is there any demand for another Italian class?” I stood awestruck. I can’t believe Nico and my mamma are friends?

“That’s what Miss Laura wanted to ask you about, you speak… Is it five languages, sweetie?” FIVE LANGUAGES???? “

Six Miss Naomi.” SIX LANGUAGES????? “Italian, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, and English.”

“Well, we already have a French volunteer and a Spanish volunteer. We’ll work out the details at the staff brunch next week. Do you want a ride home, sweetie?”

“No, it’s okay, I live close. I’m fine. Fuck. Sorry, Miss Naomi, didn’t mean to swear.” Nico is absolutely adorable but I can’t get over that he speaks six different languages when I barely have a C+ in Spanish class. “No its no big deal, I’m just locked out, I broke into my house to get Cerby and I forgot to unlock the door before I left, I’m so stupid.” Nico started pulling at his hair again. My mamma instantly went to calm him down, she’s great at that. She’s the best.

“How about you come over for dinner, Nico? I have your spare key, remember? We can eat dinner and give Cerby some water and then I can take you home.” She calmly placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be a bother?” Nico asked sheepishly.

“Nico, sweetie, you could never bother me. And I think Will would enjoy having you over. Come on.” Nico nodded and my mamma opened the car door for him. Cerberus climbed into the car and took up almost the entire back of the car. Nico’s small frame fit perfectly next to the huge dog. I helped my mother load the groceries into the car and then I climbed into the passenger seat. My mamma started the car and we were off.

“So Nico, how’s school going? Still excelling in every class you take?” My mamma says.

“I wouldn’t say I’m excelling.” Nico pipped up from the backseat.

“Sweetie, I think skipping two grade levels even though you missed half a year is excelling. You’re allowed to brag honey.” Nico blushed.

“I mean, I have a 4.3 average.” He blushed even more.

“There ya go, you’re smart, Nico, that’s not something to hide.” He somehow blushed even more.

Wait. He skipped two grade levels? I pulled out my phone.

Sunshineboi: You skipped two grades? When were you gonna tell me you were a genius?

Thegh0stking: It’s no big deal.

Sunshineboi: Wait, that means you’re not 18 like me?

Thegh0stking: I’m 15, basically 16.

Sunshineboi: 15 and a senior in high school? That’s crazy man. You’re like a baby genius.

Thegh0stking: I’m not a baby genius. Sunshineboi: But you’re like so young.

Thegh0stking: Maybe you’re just old.

“Did you just call me old?” I turned around in my seat to face him.

“Yeah? So what?” Nico smirked and I melted.

Mamma laughed “You boys are so silly.” We pulled up in front of my house and got out of the car.

“Miss Naomi.” Nico rocked on his heels. “Do you need any help bringing in groceries?” “That would be wonderful, Nico.” She handed Nico a bag and he followed her inside.


End file.
